Signaling lamp



Nov. 28, 1944. A. 'c. w. 'ALDIS SIGNALING LAMP 5 Sheets-Sheet l Filed'March 2, 1942 Nov. 28,1944. w A ms 2,363,566

I SIGNALING L I Filed March 2, 1942 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Nov; 28, 1944.

A.C. w. ALDIS 5 Sheets- Sheet 4 Filed March 2. 1942 Nov. 28, 1944. A. c. w. ALDIS S IGNALING LAMP Filed March 2, 1942 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Fig.12

In 063121 02 2. C. fiflld Patented Nov. 28, 1944 England, assignorto Aldis'Brothei-s Limited,

Sparkhill, Birmingham, England Application March 2, 1942, Serial No. 433,085

In Great Britain September 13, 1941 This invention relates to signaling lamps for naval, aeronautical, military and other uses, and of the kind by which different coloured light flashes can be emitted under the control of a shutter.

The object of the present invention is to pro vide an improved shutter enabling as large an amount as possible of the' light'from the source to be utilised in the flashes, while making cer-' tain that when the shutter is operated there is initially a complete eclipse of the first coloured flash before the second difierent coloured 'flash is emitted. i The invention comprises the combination of a pair of coaxially arranged oscillatory discs formed with similar spaced apertures which normally register with each other'and which are 'so arrangedthat by appropriate'relative movement of the two discs the apertures in each disc are first obscured and then brought into register.

with different apertures in the other disc, means whereby one of the discs can be actuated by, the

signaler, and an over-centre spring mechanism interconnecting the two discs in} the vicinityfof their peripheries and adapted to impart opposite movements to the other disc.

v In the accompanying sheets. of drawings:

Figure l is a sectional side elevation, Figure 2 is a rear elevation, and Figure 3 a front elevation (with some of the parts removed) of a sigexplanatory naling lampattachmentembodying the inven-.-

ing the shutter in.'another position.

Figures 7 and 8 are. fragmentary sectiona views taken respectively on the-lines 1-1 of Figured and. 88 of Figure looking in the direction of thearrowa Figure 9 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 99 of Figure 5 looking in the direction of the arrows.

: Figures 10 and 11 are fragmentary'sectional views drawn to a larger scale than Figures 1- to 9 and illustrating in its fully compressed condition oneof the over-centre springsshownin Figures 5 and 6. i

' front elevation illustrating a modified form of the invention.

" In Figure 1 a indicates a signaling lamp which contains a light source in the form of an incandescent filament bulb b, and to the front of which is secured an attachment whereby the light emitted from the lamp can be utilized for sending signals consisting of successive flashes of any two of three difierent colours, for example red-green, white-red, or green-white.

-In the example shown'in Figures 1 to 11 the attachment above-mentioned consists of a short cylindrical'sheet metal casing 0 containing means as hereinafter described for enabling the required different coloured fiashes to be obtained.

One end (hereinafter termed the inner end) of the casing c is formed with key-hole slots at which by engagement with headed studs as e on the front of the lamp a serve to attach the casing to the lamp front, the casing being held in position by the engagement of one of the heads of the studs on the lamp with a hole or recess in a spring'blade on the inner side of the inner end of the casing.

Arranged 'coaxially within thecasing c is a short shaft g which at one end is secured to the Figure is a diagrammaticqpart' sectional outer end of the casing, and which at the other end is reduced and extends through a corresponding hole in the inner end of the casing. Also arranged within the casing c is a composite colour screen disc h which at its centre is pivotally supported by the shaft g, and which is formed with a peripheral flange 1' having attached to it a finger piece 7' whereby the disc can be moved angularly about its axis to any of three different positions. The finger piece i'is made to a hollow form and is slidably mounted on a stem 0 which at one end is secured to the disc flange i, and which extends outwardly through a circumferential slot 122 in the periphery of the casing c; the stem being surrounded by a compression spring 11 which at its opposite ends abuts against a head It on the stem and a shoulder l in the inner endof' the finger piece. The slot m is formed with three enlargements as shown for accommodating the inner end of the finger piece 7, the arrangement being such that when the disc h is in any of the three difierent positions above-mentioned the inner end of the finger piece can be caused by the spring n to enter one of the slot enlargements and thereby hold the disc against undesired movement. When it is required tomove the disc h from any one of its three positions to another, the signaler first pulls the finger piece 9 outwardly against the action of the spring n until the inner end of the finger piece is clear of the slot m in the periphery of the casing c, whereupon the signaler can actuate the finger piece to move the disc into its new position. Upon the signaler releasing the finger piece 7' its inner end is caused by t e hri e i to en er the ad acent enl r ement of the slot m and hold the disc in its new position.

concentrically with its axis the disc h is formed with an annular group of equally spaced segmental gaps p of the same size. Each of the gaps p is covered at one side by a pair of similar and contiguous transparent or translucent panels q, r, made from glass, Celluloid or other con: venient material, the panel q being coloured green, and the panel 7' being coloured red, panels q, r, are situated in depressions formed in one side of the disc h and are retained in position by another disc t, the latter being formed with ca which r spond and re iste wi h the gaps p in the disc h. Each of the radial portions of the disc it separatin adiaoent gaps o is terme with an aperture w ich reg st rs with a similar ap rture n t e orrespondin portion r the other disc t, and t ou h which wh te light r m the beam projecte by the si nali lamp a can ass, the size of the apertures being oreiera ly such as to ma e the white li ht a sin hrou h thes apertures qui al nt in intensi y Q2 fiw d f om the i o it o the ca n e) to the li h pa sin from h l m throu h the co oured an ls q; T.- To ermit he a sage of li ht irern the lamp a nt and out oi th ea ing e the ront and r ar ends oi the l tt r are e ch formed w th a imilar n ular roup of equal y s aced sees a the size a d po ition of hese aps being s ch that in e ch oi th above-ment oned positio s of he screen-dis h lig t ntering ea as in he ar nd o the ca ing ear; p ss th oug e her of the ad acen c lo red panel a r or aper ure 2 o the screensc. l

o pre e a ces i dust to the in er or o e casin 0 th u he gaps in the ront nd o the cas ng, he e ga s e covered by a hat or other class piece y which may be the ordina y on glas o lamp a and which is ecu ed to the iren o the e sing by t fr me a, th l tter aving key-ho e ap rture ior engaging headed tuds .2 on the casing f ont. A so he slot m th pe iphery o t e asihe may be o ed. bya r bber protect e p e mo ho n) car ied by th fin e piece a Arranged within the casin e at the f ont i e o the se eeh dise h is a shu ter consi ting oi a pa r o eoax a y'ar ahse osci a ory scs 3 A, o dit r h di meters, these discs bei g pivotally mou t d on the h it g i lose roxim ty o ea h ther and to e sereen dise, and ha ing flanged peripheri s a shown. The s ut er disc 3 is med conce ca y around i s axis W t n are nular ou o ape tures 5, and the other shut= t s 4 is forme with a simi ar annula group f ap rtur s. 6 the arrangeme t being such that y appropr at relative mo ement o he two hut r d scs the a ertu es therein can be ought t regist r i each othe and with. di e e t ight paths through the s reemd se t. Mo er t siz spaci g a d posit on o h apert r s 5, 6, i e shutter discs 4 are su t at hilst each of the apertures can allow the passage through it of the maximum amount of either green, red, or white light, the shutter discs are capable of assuming a relative position-in which light passing through the screen-disc h is intercepted. a

The first shutter disc 3 is provided with a thumb piece 1 whereby it can be conveniently oscillated by the signaler when holding the lamp a in his hands. The thumb piece I is formed or provided on the outer end of a short stem 8 which passes through a circumferential slot 9 in the periphery of the casing c, and which at its inner end is in screw thread engagement with a boss II) on the flanged periphery of the said disc. The ends of the slot 9 form stops which serve by contact with the adjacent sides of the thumb piece stem 8 to determine the amount of the angular movement that can be imparted to the shutter disc 8, this amount being equal to the pitch of the alternate light paths through the screen-disc h.

The econd h1itter disc 4 is connected to the shutter disc 3 by any convenient over-centre spring mechanism which is also sometimes termed load and fire mechanism. The amount of angula mo ment th t be imparted o t second shutter disc 4 equa to oue half o a which can be impa ted t the fi t shutte d s a d is determine by contact of a st p I on the inner side of the front end of the casing .c with th nds of a s ot I? in t e periphery o t sec nd. s u ter iiise- As. shown the o =o ritr spring mechanism ahove=m ntioned is io m d by a Pa r of de i es a apted to t m erate r sp e= tive y h diarr et iea ly opposite po ti s o the shutter d s s Eaeh of these d i s som p ises a pair o swivel pieces l3 esp cti ely sho ported in spaced relationship on the flanged p ripheries of the two shutter d scs 3, by pi It; a pair of wir rods H w ich at on pair o djacent ends may be termed nt gral with ea h o he and. adapted to mbra e one o h pins, and. which at positions h ar these nds are secu ed to he adjacent wi el ie e h othe ends f the ds being re ly slidable through ho es the other swivel piece, a d a compr ssion series it mount d o each r with i s ends ab tting against the wo swivel pi ces. In tead oi emp oy ng a pair or he e devices as o ly one o more than two he employ er. ch i the de ices may e PZQViQfiQ Wi '5 single 0 1 and spring.

The parts of the over-centre mechanism above d r ed a e QOII QHY he d toge h r by conta of the stem 8 01 the shutter thumb piece I, with either end of the circumferential slot 8 in the periphery of the casing c. To prevent separation of the parts of the over-centre mechanism in the event of the stem 8 being detached from its supporting boss H) on the shutter disc 3, the stop II for determining the extent of the movement of the other shutter disc 4, and another stop II also on the inner side of the front end of the casing, are adapted by contact with the boss to prevent undesired relative movement of the shut-v ter discs under the action of the over=ccntre mechanism. The stops II and I! are COIIVQIIJ:

"iently formed by lugs pressed out of the front end of the casing c.

To provide adequat bearing surfaces for the screen-disc h and the shutter discs '3, 4, these discs are formed with flanges 3 around their central holes through which the shaft 9 pa ses, and the flanges are supported one within the other on the shaft. Further the central portions of the shutter discs 8., 6, are of dished form and are held in contact with each other between a shoulder It) on the shaft 9 and the central portion of the screen disc under the action ofa spring 20 surrounding the shaft, this spring being arranged between" the panel-retaining disc of the casing c. I

On the inner projecting end of the shaft g is mounted a cup-shaped screen 2| for the adjacent side of the lamp bulb b. "Ihiscup-sl-raped screen 2| prevents emission from the lamp a of direct light from the bulb b, and insures that the coloured panels q, r and apertures D of the screen-disc h receive signaling light only from the concentrated signaling beam projected by the lamp. To prevent accidental damage to the l ani'p'bulb b when the attachment above described is applied to the front of the lamp a, the cup-shaped screen 2| is resiliently supported on the shaft g by a spring 2| situated between the cup-shaped screen and the inner end of the casing 'c.

' The shutter above described is such that in either of the two limit positions of the shutter discs 3, 4, the apertures 5, 6, in these discs register with each other and allow light of one colour to pass through them. Supposing it is required to send signals consisting of alternate red and green flashes, the screen disc'h is set so that in one extreme position of the shutter a red light is shown and in the other a green light. It will be assumed that the shutter isin the extreme position in which the apertures 5, 6, in the discs 3, 4, register with each other to perunit the passage of red light. To move the shutter from this extreme position to the other the signaler imparts appropriate angular movement to the first shutter disc 3 through the thumb piece I. The first effect of the movement imparted by the signaler to the thumb piece I is to move the first shutter disc 3 relatively to the second shutter disc 4 into a position in which the shutter serves to intercept the light passing through the screen disc h. During this movement each of the springs l6 of the over-centre mechanism is compressed asshown in Figures 10 and II. After the first shutter disc 3 has been moved slightly beyond its mid-position the energised springs I6 move the second disc 4 in theop'positev direction to the first disc. At the end of the movements of the two shutter discs 3, 4, the shutter is in its other extreme position in which the apertures 5 register with different apertures 6 to permit the passage of green light. Return of the shutter is effected by opposite movement of the thumb piece. By appropriately setting the screen disc h flashes of any other pair of the three colours can' be emitted, that is to say white-red or green-white.

In the modification shown diagrammatically in Figure 12', the majority of the component parts are similar or analogous to those of the previously described example, and. these parts are indicated by the same reference characters as those employed in Figures 1 to 11 but suflixed by the numeral I. The shutter shown in this modification is intended to be used in conjunction with a two-colour screen disc (not shown) havin a concentrically arranged annular group of equally spaced gaps, alternate gaps being adapted to transmit light of two different colours, for example, red and green. The shutter comprises a, pair of coaxially arranged oscillatory shutter discs 3 4 the disc 3 being movable by the signaler, and being connected to the disc 4 by over-centre mechanism. The latter is similar to that above described and includes springs relative movement of thetwo'shutterdiscs the apertures therein can bebrought into register with each other and with different light paths through the screen-disc. At each of a pair of diametrically opposite positions on the front end of the fixed casing c and near the peripheries of the shutter discs 3 ,4 is pivoted a trigger lever 22 .which serves by co-operation with the shutter discs to move or propel the over-centre mechanism I5 I6 through its central position of unstable equilibrium. As shown each trigger lever 22 has a short arm which passes through a circumferential slot 23 in the flanged periphery of -the first shutterdisc 3 a long arm which passes. through another but shorter circumferential slot 24 in the flanged periphery of the secondshutter disc 4 and a pair of lateral projections 25 adapted by contact with the flanged periphery of the first shutter disc to limit the extentof the pivotal movement that can be imparted to the trigger lever; Looking at the drawing it will be assumed thatthe first shutter disc 3 is being moved by the signaler in a counterclockwise direction. During' the greater part of this movement the second shutter disc 4 and the trigger levers 22 remain stationary, and this condition persists until the first shutter as-- sumes a position in which the passage of light through the apertures 5 6 is interrupted. The

springs I6 of the over-centre mechanism are,

however, compressed by the movement of the first shutter disc 3 and this mechanism is caused to assume a positionof unstable equilibrium. Immediately after the above-mentioned condition is reached the continued movement of the firstshutter disc ,3 causes the trigger levers 22 to impart opposite movement to the second shutter disc 4 this latter movement being sufiicient to move or propel over-centre mechanism 15 I6 through its position of unstable equilibrium and thereby enable it to complete the opposite movement of the second shutter disc rapidly.-

If desired only one trigger lever may be provided.

In addition to the over-centre spring mechanism I5 I6 interconnecting the shutter discs 3 4 additional over-centre spring mechanism may be provided between and adapted to interconnect the flanged periphery of the first shutter disc 3 and the periphery of the casing 0 This additional over-centre mechanism, which includes springs 26 and rods 2'! similar to thosev of the mechanism first described, serves to complete the movement of the first shutter disc 3 independently of the signaler. Thus during the initial part of the movement of the first shutter disc 3 by the signaler, the additional overcentre springs 26 are compressed, as well as the example shown inFigures '1 to 11, because the shutter apertures of the modification can 'be made nearly as large as the obscuring radial parts between them, whereas in the first example the obscuring radial portions of the shutter must,

- of necessity, be at least twice the angular width of the light apertures in theshutter.

The invention is not limited to the examples above described as subordinate constructional details may be varied to suit different requirements.

Having thus described my invention What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. For use with a signaling lamp of the kind specified, a shutter comprising the combination of a'pair of coaxially arranged oscillatory :discs formed with similar spaced apertureswhich normally register with each other and which are so arranged that by appropriate relative movement of the two discs the apertures in each disc are first obscured and then brought into register with difierent apertures in the other disc, means whereby one of the discs can be actuated by the signaler, and an over-centre spring mechanism interconnecting the two discs in the vicinity of their peripheries and adapted'tov impart opposite movements to the other disc.

2. A shutter as and for the purpose claimed in claim 1 and having in combination with it a composite colour screen disc arranged coaxially with" the shutter discs and consisting of rel-.- atively fixed parts, and means whereby the colour screen disc can be angularly adjusted into and secured in any one of a plurality of different positions.

3. A shutter as and for the purpose claimed in-claim 1 and having at least one trigger lever operatively associated with the two discs and adapted under the action of one of the discs to move the over-centre spring mechanism through its central position of unstable equilibrium.

4. A shutter as andfor the purpose claimed in claim 1 and having in combination a fixed member carrying the discs, at least one trigger lever operatively associated with the two discs and adaptedv to. move the over-centre spring mechanism through its central position of unstable equilibrium, and additional over-centre spring mechanism interconnecting the disc adapted to be actuated by'the signaler and the fixed member carrying the discs. 7

5. A shutter as-and forthe purpose claimed in claim 1, in which the over-centre spring .mechanism comprises at least one swivel piece supported by each of the discs, at least one rod secured to the swivel ,piec 'on one of the said discs and passing freely through a hole in the swivel piece on theother of the said discs, and a compression spring mounted on the rod with its ends abutting against the associated swivel pieces.

.6. A shutter as and for the purpose claimed in claim 1 and having in combination a fixed member carrying the discs, at least one trigger lever operatively associated with the two discs and adapted to move the over-centre spring mechanism through its central position of unstable equilibrium, and additional over-centre spring mechanism interconnecting the disc adapted to be actuated by the signaler and the said fixed membeneach of the over-centre spring mechanisms comprising at least one swivel piece supported by each of the parts to be interconnected, at least one rod secured to the swivel piece on one of the said parts and passing freely through a hole in the swivel piece on the other of the said parts, and a compressionspring mounted on the rod with its ends abutting against theassociated swivel pieces.

'7. A shutter as and for the purpose claimed in claim 1 and having in combination at least one trigger lever operatively associated with" the two discs and adapted to move the over-centre spring mechanism through its centre position of unstable equilibrium, the trigger lever being mounted on a fixed axis and having a pair of arms-extending respectively into slots formed in peripheral portions of the discs, and means being provided for limiting the extent of the movement that can be imparted to thetrigger lever.

, ARTHUR CYRIL WEBB ALDIS. 

